This brief examines the critical need to implement content-area literacy instruction at the secondary level. Often literacy instruction is not implemented at this level in part because of discipline-specific frameworks and characteristics. Educators must recognize that it is because of these factors that they must incorporate instruction around content-area literacy into courses for secondary students. This literacy support will enable students to develop deep knowledge and high-level thinking skills that will help them become critical readers and life-long learners.

Effective support for literacy is fundamental to improve middle and high schools and to build the kind of secondary schools that are necessary to support the nation’s social and economic health. The challenge is to connect the teaching of literacy to the rest of the secondary education improvement agenda.